Toulon produced a clinical second-half performance, scoring four tries to clinch an opening 53 v 22 victory in the Amlin Challenge Cup over a spirited Petrarca side.

Irishman Eoghan Hickey gave Petrarca the lead with a penalty after six minutes and then doubled his tally a short while later with a second.

The hosts then took control scoring three tries in the space of eight minutes through prop Levan Chilachava, Baptiste Bonnet and Romain Frou, with fly-half Julien Dumora adding two conversions.

Hickey then narrowed the deficit with his third shot at goal before second-row Agustin Cavalieri touched down for the Italians’ first try.  Hickey missed the conversion but added another penalty three minutes later.

Toulon had the last say of the first forty minutes with Dumora kicking a penalty on the stroke of the interval.

HT: Toulon 22 v 17 Petrarca

Petrarca’s last victory on French soil was at Stade Pierre-Rajon against Bourgoin in the 2008/9 competition but their hopes of a second victory in the stadium were soon dashed after the break as Toulon began the second period in style.

First Christian Loamanu touched down, followed by Benjamin Lapeyre with Dumora kicking one of the conversions to give the French side a healthy 34 v 17 lead.

A penalty try and a Xavier Chiocci score kept the scoreboard ticking over for the 2010 Amlin Challenge Cup finalists before Scott Palmer grabbed one back for Petrarca.

Alafoti Faosiliva rounded off the scoring, touching down six minutes from time to take Toulon through the fifty point barrier.